Software Engineer (AI-First, Product-Driven)

This is not an enterprise role.
We move fast, make decisions locally, and expect engineers to own outcomes end-to-end.
If you’re looking for heavy process, rigid roadmaps, or decision-making by committee, this role will likely feel frustrating.

What You’ll Do

• Build production-grade AI systems, not demos — deeply integrated LLMs, agentic workflows, retrieval systems, and decision engines that real customers depend on.
• Design and ship end-to-end product features across frontend, backend, and services using TypeScript, React, Node.js, and GraphQL.
• Take ambiguous, messy real-world problems and turn them into working systems — fast.
• Own technical and product decisions, understand the trade-offs, and take responsibility for outcomes, not just output.
• Work hands-on with vector databases, search indexes, MongoDB, and event-driven architectures.
• Build fast, elegant, high-quality UIs with a strong opinion on usability and design (Tailwind, ShadCN).
• Instrument systems with metrics, evals, and feedback loops to continuously improve AI quality and product impact.
• Move quickly, iterate relentlessly, and raise standards without adding bureaucracy.

What We Care About

• Your depth of thinking, learning speed, and technical curiosity
• Your obsession with AI, LLMs, agentic systems, and applied research
• Your ability to figure things out independently
• Your willingness to make decisions and live with the consequences

• Your focus on real users, real data, and real impact

   

We do not care about:

• Fancy job titles
• Years spent in large enterprises
• Rigid processes, ticket queues, or “that’s not my responsibility” thinking
   

Requirements

• 3+ years of commercial software development experience (startup, scale-up, or equivalent).
• Strong fundamentals in JavaScript / TypeScript and modern web/backend development.
• Experience building systems with Node.js, React, GraphQL, and MongoDB (or demonstrably equivalent stacks).
• Strong interest in — or hands-on experience with — LLMs, AI systems, agentic workflows, or intelligent automation.
• Ability to work without hand-holding, unclear specs, or excessive process.
• Product mindset: you think in outcomes, metrics, and user value, not just features.
• Fluent English and clear written communication

Strong Plus

• Hands-on experience with LLMs, vector databases, RAG systems, embeddings, AI evaluation.
• Experience designing event-driven or distributed systems.
• Familiarity with GCP and/or AWS, Docker, Kubernetes.
• Experience with search infrastructure, message brokers, and data pipelines.
• Interest in AI research, experimentation, and pushing systems beyond obvious solutions.

Who Will Thrive Here

• Builders who love hard problems and fast feedback.
• People who get frustrated by slow decision-making and unnecessary meetings.
• Engineers who want ownership, autonomy, and accountability.
• Product-minded developers who care deeply about quality, design, and user experience.
• AI-first thinkers who want to be close to the model, the data, and the customer.

Why Join ChefsList

• Build real AI-driven products used daily by businesses.
• Work at the intersection of AI, engineering, and product, not in silos.
• High trust, very low bureaucracy, and extreme ownership.
• Fast-moving startup where your work ships and matters.
• Competitive compensation, flexibility, and continuous learning opportunities.